31/31 Day 101: The Wonderful 101 Part 1

Hey, so today is July 5th. 5 is 101 in binary, so today, for my 31/31, it's Day 101, and, it'll also be by 101st blog. Now, that makes me feel like doing something special like I did yesterday for my 100th blog, and Day 100. However, I decided this time, to make it even bigger, and better. Two of my...um, co 31/31'ers? I'm not sure how to do that...anyway, Tim Gruver, and Saturday Morning Replay, both on Day 11, did the following blogs, respectively: "What a Wonderful World is Free-Roam Building?", and "It's A Wonderful World". Similar titles, wouldn't you say? I'm not sure if they planned that, but it got me thinking "I should do something with the word wonderful too, just as a joke"...and so...The Wonderful 101 idea was born.

However, no, this blog is NOT about the upcoming Wii U title form Platinum Games (oh, yeah, I'm going to be that one person getting the game that day instead of GTAV), but about something different, though it's inspired by the game. In the game, you control 100 little characters, and that's the premise of my blog. In three parts, I'm going to talk about the 101 characters across all games that I feel have been the ones who I've been able to connect to, who've been wonderfully crafted and developed, or just, well, are awesome. Today, 33 characters will be listed, then tomorrow, another 34, and finally, on Sunday, the last 34, as well as some statistics about them overall, such as gender ratios, Japanese versus Western, and how many characters have weird hairstyles.

To keep this from being super long, there will be 11 characters on this first page, and then the next 22 on two other pages, divided out...if the page break works. Oh, uh, there aren't any character suggestions-I'm getting all of them decided first, since it's alphabetical, and this is my blog, so....yeah...no complaining that, I don't know, Geralt isn't here. :P Sorry Witcher fans, I haven't finished the first game yet. And also, I'm proud to say-NO SPOILERS!Oh, one last thing-I'm going to try to restrict this to games I've played, because that's how you really get to interact with them, so I'm on the fence with some characters. AND, if you don't want to go through each page, I will have a list of all the characters for each day's blog at the bottom of the final page. Now..let's start...

Edit: seems the page break failed...sorry guys...

Agent 47

Agent 47 is the original assassin. Before the days of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, and Corvo Attano, there was 47, who recently starred in the only Hitman game I've played (yeah, yeah, sue me) Hitman: Absolution. 47 has been included on this list because of his abilities and determination to survive over the many controversies and adversaries he has dealt with. His story in Absolution was told beautifully, I thought, and from what I've read of his past and looked at in walkthroughs, I think highly of his character, despite how cold and cruel he can be, as he can be heartful, and do the right thing.

Akane Kurashiki

One of the characters most of you probably don't recognize, Akane, also known as June, is the childhood friend of Junpei, the protagonist of 999: Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors. Her story plays an important role in the game, and since the writing of the game was so great, I thought to include her.

Alan Wake

Alan Wake is one of the givens of this list, from the very start, he had to be included. His time in Bright Falls is one of my favorite gaming experiences, and I've spent quite some time with him on him on his adventures. Wake makes many references to such wonderful authors as Stephen King, and he fights the Dark Presence with basically no experience in the matter whatsoever. I have been anxiously awaiting his next adventure, and will wait for Remedy to make it for as long as I can, because he's such an endearing character, and one whose story hasn't finished.

Alyx Vance

Alyx is the daughter of Eli Vance, is a companion to Gordon Freeman, and is a major played in the Half-Life universe, as seen in Half-Life 2. She's calm and collected at times, but shows her intelligence and capabilities several times in Half-Life 2 and its episodes, especially with D0g, the robot she built that aids Gordon during his fight against the Combine.

Andrew Ryan

Anyone who has played BioShock will most likely agree with Andrwe Ryan being on this list. His cold, controlling nature is shown prominently during the game, through his announcements, the audio diaries, and meeting him face-to-face. Ken Levine and Irrational crafted a character many people still talk about today, and one who we will likely not forget any time soon.

Anton Herzen

Anton is the antagonist of Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, and is one of my favorite adversaries that Layton has fought against. While the real reason he's on this list exists in somewhere called Spoilerville, I will say that his story within the game is a reason to pick up this title alone. He's wonderfully developed, and contributed very much to this being my favorite of the Professor Layton games.

Apollo Justice

Oh boy, first of the many Ace Attorney characters. While some people feel that Apollo basks in the shadow of Phoenix Wright, his mentor, Apollo does stand out to me. He may get help from others, but his loud voice and determination make him a rising star akin to Phoenix Wright, and he also has his own sense of humor that makes him a likable protagonist.

Axel

Axel is the best friend to Roxas and Xion, and is my favorite member of Organization XIII, beside Roxas. He's bold, and can be selfish at times, but in the end, I love his story, and him as a character as well. He's one of my favorite Kingdom Hearts characters, and I will always remember the times spent between him, Roxas, and Xion in 358/2 Days.

Beat

Neku's partner during the third week of The World Ends with You, Beat, is the biggest stand-out compared to the other characters in the game. Being independent, not understanding Neku's "big words", and even pulling a move at the end of the first week no one say coming, Beat is, well, an odd one. But well, his attitude, and his caring for others, does end up showing in the end, and makes me like him as a character just as much as Shiki and Joshua.

Big Boss

Big Boss is perhaps the biggest player in the Metal Gear universe, as his actions led to many major changes in the world, and it was from him Solid and Liquid Snake were born. He suffers through things no ordinary human being could, and he ends up being a great hero for the United States. His story will continue in Metal Gear Solid V, and he deserves the camera time, because of his great development as a character.

Bill

This Vietnam veteran fought against the infected while in a hospital, and managed to get home and get his trusty uniform from his time in the war. Always wielding an M16, Bill is the leader of the group in Left 4 Dead, and always goes for the solution that is best for the group, even if that is against that of others, because they "look after their own".

Booker Dewitt

Booker is someone pretty much everyone knows, as he's the protagonist of the recent hit BioShock Infinite. His writing, combat skills, and development with Elizabeth, make him an apt choice for this list, I felt.

Bowser

Bowser has failed more than any other video game villain. From not getting any cake, to being the one who doesn't get to come to Mario's parties, to being hated on by everyone, he has a tough break. Yet, he always tries, and tries again, and while he may fail, it's admirable of him to keep trying. This, along with his character in the game Bowser's Inside Story, make him a necessary component of this list to me.

Cave Johnson

The founder of Aperture Science is one of the best characters Valve has created-and that's saying something. He's made quite a legacy in the few years we've known about him, from fighting praying mantises to exploding lemons, he's made quite an impression. He really brings out what we know and love about Valve games: Valve humor.

Chris Redfield

Chris Redfield is one of the biggest played in the Resident Evil series, foiling Albert Wesker's plans many times, and saving the world on multiple occasions. He's determined, focused, and well, is just a good BSAA agent. I don't think there's much else to say about him-he just does what he's suppose to, and does it well.

Chrom

While I still have yet to complete Fire Emblem: Awakening, I have spent over 60 hours in the game, commanding my units, and Chrom is, of course, one of the biggest players, and one of my strongest units each time I fail and restart my file. He's always there, giving support to my units, and just being a good Shepard to Yllise. I am still anxious to see where his story goes in the game.

Clementine

While it may be awhile before we see Clementine again, her story in TellTale's The Walking Dead was one that many loved, and with a conclusion that left many questions unanswered, I think we all who played the game are anxious to see how her story continues. The way she matures in the game is dramatic, and the bond between her and Lee Everett is a great one.

Count Bleck

Count Bleck is the main antagonist of Super Paper Mario, and his story is a great one. As it unfolds throughout the game, and he becomes more transparent, we begin to see his true nature and origins, and it's so wonderfully told and developed that I had to include him. Plus, he's also just a great villain, and has a great design.

Your Dad

Hm? His name is James? La la la, I don't know what you're talking about, this guy is my dad!...okay, Joking aside, your dad in Fallout 3 is one of the few times in a game where I've had such close interactions with a parent to my character, and after getting out of the Vault, I actually did the main quest line to find him, because I wanted to see what was going on with him, because I wanted to see where he had gone, and I wanted to see his story play out.

Damon Gant

Damon Gant is a character in Rise From the Ashes, the final case in the original Ace Attorney. He emanates a strong aura, described as being "stuffy", and even looking at him, you get this feeling. His demeanor is also a weird one, giving everyone nicknames ("Wrighto, Edgey, and Udgey"), as well as asking everyone if they've been swimming lately. And that stare....ohhhh, that stare...

The Dark Presence

The Dark Presence is always at the heels of Alan Wake, even during the daytime. While it has no real face, and we know almost nothing of its true nature, it is something that is clever, and devious. The reason it is listed here is because we still know next-to-nothing, and I really want to find out its true nature, and how it relates to Alan Wake.

Don Paolo

The self-appointed rival of Professor Layton can best be attributed to Team Rocket in the Pokemon anime series. He's relentless in his attempts, but fails miserably. However, he does have some good tricks up his sleeve, and his backstory, unveiled in Unwound Future, is something I was not expecting, and his role in the games makes him earn a spot on this list.

Dusknoir

No, this is not in general every Dusknoir-it is a specific one. I'm talking about the Dusknoir in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time. He's a very famous, knowledgeable explorer in the game, and he turns out to be very critical to the plot line. The Great Dusknoir has a trick up his sleeve you won't see coming.

Elizabeth

Oh boy, another most-recent entry that you were probably expecting. Yes, like I said in my review, Elizabeth is one of the best AI companions I've spent time with in a game. She isn't perfect, but her great writing and character make her an enjoyable person to be with in the game, and coupled with everything after the credits...well, her being on the list is a no-brainer.

Ellis

Ellis has a thick southern accent, a crush on Zoey, and an affinity for sniper rifles. He has plenty of hilarious and improbable stories about his buddy Keith, and personally, I love to spam his "Virgil!" quotes while playing Left 4 Dead 2. Valve just made him have a great personality, so I thought to include him.

EVA

EVA is a companion to Naked Snake/Big Boss during Operation Snake Eater. I decided to have her on the list because she does play her part well during the story, and she also just has several moments in the game that I think make her a strong female character.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I've never played an Assassins' Creed game that has Ezio in it as the protagonist, but that doesn't matter. I've seen how great Ezio is as a character, how he grew from being a player to the master assassin, and so, he deserves a spot in my book.

Frank Honey

Probably the least likely person to be on this list, but whatever, I like Frank. His genuine efforts to help Chase McCain often end in failure. He just made Lego City Undercover a more enjoyable affair, because he, along with the rest of the cast, was able to put a smile on my face while playing.

Franziska von Karma

To not put Franziska on this list would make a foolish fool of foolery, or something else foolish. She's bold, brass, and wields a whip just as good as Indiana Jones. Of course, those of the von Karma name can only know perfection...so she'd have to be perfect. Regardless, Franziska is awesome, her whip is awesome, and she is no fool.

Frog

Frog is one of my favorite characters from Chrono Trigger. He's almost always in my party, and his backstory is touching and phenomenal. He's a master swordsman, and is truly worthy of the Masamune, and the Hero's Badge.

Ganondorf Dragmire

In all of his appearances, Ganondorf is a force to be reckoned with. From being a giant pig, to a puppet, to some weird fiery head thing, he's always had grand power, and has brought evil to Hyrule. Throughout the Zelda series, he's always had the same lust for power, and his greed and evil make him one of my favorite villains.

Gengar

Yes, this particular Gengar is another specific one, this time from Blue Rescue Team. He is a mysterious enemy to you and your partner, and attacks you several times during the game. His true nature is something I didn't expect, and made him a memorable villain...since I don't remember tons about this game, except him. :P

GLaDOS

GLaDOS is a character you can't forget. All the cake jokes aside, she's funny, clever, devious, and a devilish adversary for Chell. Her taunting and tricks made the original Portal unforgettable, and she herself made it one of the best games ever made.

Well, that's it for today...here's the list of the characters, for those who skipped: